KOREA: Ex-intelligence agent arrested for bugging

Former deputy chief of NIS was arrested for leading illegal wiretapping operations

The Korea Times
Thursday, October 6, 2005
 
By Kim Tong-hyung

The prosecution Thursday arrested Kim Un-sung, former deputy chief of the National Intelligence Services (NIS), on charges of masterminding the wiretapping of key politicians during the Kim Dae-jung administration.

Kim, 50, became the first spy agency official, retired or incumbent, to be arrested on criminal charges.

His arrest indicates the prosecution might take legal action against former NIS chiefs who served in the 1988-2003 period if evidence is found that they were involved in the wiretapping scandal.

Investigators are trying to confirm the motives of the illegal operations and to find out how deeply the government was involved.

"We have discovered that Kim had a leading role in directing the illegal eavesdropping operations during his term as a deputy chief at the NIS," said senior prosecutor Hwang Kyo-ahn.

"We also have reason to believe that Kim attempted to destroy evidence as the investigation closed in on him, so arresting him was inevitable," he added.

The prosecution said it has concluded that Kim had a leading role in the wiretapping operations after questioning several intelligence officials.

Investigators raided Kim’s home in Pundang, Kyonggi Province, to search for further evidence.

Kim first got a position at the Agency for National Security Planning, the predecessor the NIS, in 1971 and headed its domestic operations prior to his retirement in 2001.

Prosecutors claim that Kim led the illegal operations during his tenure as deputy chief from 2000 to 2001.

Kim is also believed to be involved in the development of high-tech wiretapping equipment such as R-2, designed to intercept fixed-line telephone calls, and CAS, designed to tap wireless calls.

He served an 11-month prison term in 2002 after being convicted of corruption charges.

The prosecution plans to question Kim on whether he reported the illegally gathered information to the directors of the spy agency.

Former Unification Minister Lim Dong-won, 71, directed the spy agency in 1999, followed by Shin Gunn, 64, who served from 2001 to 2003.

The prosecution is considering indicting the former intelligence chiefs should their alleged involvement in the eavesdropping operations be confirmed.

Since opening its investigation in August, the prosecution has summoned three former intelligence chiefs for questioning, including Uri Party lawmaker Chun Yong-taek, 68, who headed the NIS before Lim in 1999.

Lim, Shin and Lee Jong-chan, who headed the spy agency in 1998, could also be called in for questioning.

The scandal first erupted in July when local television station MBC reported a wiretapped conversation between Samsung vice chairman Lee Hak-soo and former Korean Ambassador to Washington Hong Seok-hyun, then publisher of the Samsung-affiliated newspaper JoongAng Ilbo.

According to the report, the two men discussed the provision of slush funds for two rival presidential candidates ahead of the 1997 elections.

Former spy agent Kong Un-young, now under arrest, released the audiotapes to MBC in July.

Prosecutors recovered 274 audiotapes and 13 documents containing transcripts of the intercepted conversations at Kong’s house in Pundang. They also recovered another audiotape after raiding the house of a former agent who served during the Kim Dae-jung administration earlier this month.

In an on-air interview with local radio station CBS Thursday, Justice Minister Chun Jung-bae said there is a possibility the prosecution will investigate revelations arising from the audiotapes, despite the possibility that the investigation could violate privacy laws.

Ex-spy agency directors face summons

By Kim Tong-hyung

The prosecution plans to summon former directors of the country’s spy agency next week to confirm whether they were involved in the illegal wiretapping operations during the Kim Dae-jung government.

Those facing summons will include former Unification Minister Lim Dong-won, 71, who directed the National Intelligence Service (NIS) between 1999 and 2001.

Shin Gunn, 64, who succeeded Lim and headed the NIS until 2003, will also be questioned over his alleged role in the eavesdropping scheme.

The prosecution said it would try to check if Lim and Shin reported illegally gathered information to high-ranking officials under former President Kim, who ruled from 1998 to 2003.

The prosecution Thursday arrested Kim Un-sung, 50, former deputy chief of the National Intelligence Services (NIS), on charges of masterminding the surveillance of high-profile politicians and businessmen.

Kim, who headed the spy agency’s domestic operations from 2000 to 2001, became the first NIS official, retired or incumbent, to be arrested on criminal charges.

The prosecution is focusing its investigation on confirming the motives of the spy agency’s illegal operations and to find out how deeply the government was involved.

Investigators are questioning Kim on whether he regularly reported the collected information to former directors Lim or Shin.

Since opening its investigation in August, the prosecutors have summoned three former intelligence chiefs for questioning, including Uri Party lawmaker Chun Yong-taek, 68, who headed the NIS before Lim in 1999.

Lee Jong-chan, 69, who headed the spy agency from 1998 to 1999, could also be called in for questioning.

There are increasing suspicions that ranking government officials were directly involved in the illegal wiretapping.

During a National Assembly inspection of the prosecution yesterday, Rep. Kim Jae-kyung of the opposition Grand National Party (GNP) claimed that former NIS director Chun received transcripts of 261 audiotapes recovered from then spy agent Kong Un-young, who led the illegal wiretapping team during the 1990s.

Another GNP lawmaker, Kwon Young-se also made claims that President Kim directed the NIS to use a fixed-line telephone tapping device called R-2 to gather information.

The scandal first erupted in July when local television station MBC reported a wiretapped conversation between Samsung vice chairman Lee Hak-soo and former Korean Ambassador to Washington Hong Seok-hyun, then publisher of the Samsung-affiliated newspaper the JoongAng Ilbo.

According to the report, the two men discussed the provision of slush funds for two rival presidential candidates ahead of the 1997 elections.

Former spy agent Kong, now under arrest, turned out to be the source of the audiotapes that were obtained by MBC.

Prosecutors recovered 274 audiotapes and 13 documents containing transcripts of the intercepted conversations at Kong’s house in Pundang.

They also recovered another audiotape after raiding the house of a former agent who served during the Kim Dae-jung administration earlier this month.

Date Posted: 10/6/2005